Grad School, Post Bac, or Second Bachelors?

Hi guys,

I graduated last December with a Chemistry Degree. I have been working in the quality field for over a year now and really enjoy quality assurance. However, I still wonder if I should have pursued engineering because I really like understanding how things work the way they do and the challenges it presents.

I am considering going back to school on a part time basis so I can continue to work full time. Since I am confident in my background in chemistry, would it be wise to get a master’s in chemical engineering? Or even quality engineering since I enjoy quality assurance and regulatory fields? Or would it just look bad on my part to have a master’s in engineering without the bachelor’s to support it? If that’s the case, would it even be worth it to get those additional classes as a second bachelor’s degree?

Thanks for the opinions!

If you can get into an MS or MEng program without a bachelor’s in engineering, I don’t think anyone would care that you didn’t have a BS. Employers tend to assume that if you can get into and successfully complete a master’s in the field you have the same basic foundation as someone with a BS and an MS in both.

However, engineering is one of those fields that it’s difficult to transition to at the master’s level with a few prerequisites. A lot of MS and MEng programs are designed for students who already have an engineering undergraduate degree. Because of that, it’s one of only 3 fields I can think of (the others being nursing and accounting) where getting a second bachelor’s might be a good idea.

That said, I’d poke around a little and look at the MS engineering programs in your area and/or ones that you’re willing to move to and see whether there are some programs that you may be able to pursue with your current background.